bonzai_networkfandomcom-20200213-history
Bonzai Network
Bonzai Network (often known simply as Bonzai) is an American digital cable and satellite television channel owned by Bonzai Television Network, LLC; a limited liability joint venture between BritCan Communications (through its BritCan Communications Cable Entertainment Group division—both of which are owned by Kandanal Entertainment) and Corus Entertainment. Bonzai's programming is currently aimed towards the tween and teenage demographics, broadcasting domestic and imported television series. It also caters towards preschool audiences during the morning hours, as well as young adults during its overnight program block Bonzai@fterDark. As of January 2016, approximately 94 American households (80.7% of households with television) receive Bonzai Network.1 History Main article: History of Bonzai Network On-air identity/bumpers Bonzai Network's original branding, used during the channel's pre-launch and official launch, was created by Reel FX Creative Studios, featuring hand-drawn and CGI graphics in yellow, orange, green, and purple. In May 2004, a new post-6 p.m. advertising style was developed for older audiences, which used an alternate logo and much sleeker graphics with barely any computer-generated idents. Later in July, the logo first appeared on Bonzai’s promos and even appeared on credits of newer original programming. In 2006, this look was adapted for the entire channel. The channel re-branded on October 6, 2014, with a new look created by Oishii Creative (which also worked on the Hub Network 2013/14 rebrand). The new looked featured a revised version of the 2004 logo and used new 2D animation. On September 1, 2016, Bonzai Network refreshed the channel with a new graphics package called #ExpectTheFun ''(which also became the new channel's slogan). The new graphics package was created by Shilo Designs, and used a few recycled backgrounds from the Cartoon Network "Fall" branding, complete with new 2D graphics. The color palette consisted of blue, green, orange, yellow, and red. The rebrand was intended to image of rebirth and establishing "the burst of adolescents". The ''#ExpectTheFun ''package received an updated look on March 13, 2017, this time through collaboration with Argentinean animation studio Superestudio. The new look, titled ''#ExpectTheFun 2.0, combines real-life footage with 2D and 3D animation--utilizing the "photo-puppetry" style of animation--to create imaginative atmospheres based on the ambient look and feel. The new look also introduced a soft pastel color palette featuring magenta, sky blue, purple, and cream, with the font given a rounded balloon-like refresh. A summer palette, with various CYMK colors, was released on May 29, 2017. Programming Main article: List of programs broadcast by Bonzai Network Bonzai's current schedule largely relies on animated and live-action programs geared towards pre-teens and young teenagers, as well as movies and feature presentation specials that gear towards family-friendly audiences. In addition to said series, the channel also airs short series and interstitials alongside commercials, which serve as filler for programs scheduled to end during the half-hour and last usually around one to three minutes. New episodes of animated series are usually aired on Saturday mornings during its Super Saturdays ''programming block, while first run episodes of its live-action original series tend to air on Thursdays and Friday evenings. One of the channel's most noteworthy productions up to this date is [[Bunched Up! My Quintuplet Life|''Bunched Up! My Quintuplet Life]], the first series aired and ever produced for Bonzai. Bunched Up! ''has received high acclaim in ratings, being nominated for 8 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for "Best TV Show". It ran from the channel's launch until October 25, 2014, spawning a total of eight seasons and a TV film, as well as being seen daily in rerun form. Other series that have also had a similar run to ''Bunched Up! are also reran. Programming blocks Main article: List of program blocks broadcast by Bonzai Network By 2006, Bonzai Network had established programming blocks aimed at different age demographics. The shows broadcast during the early morning had preschoolers as their target audience and mostly had pro-social behavior as a theme, while the afternoon and evening schedule mainly targeted tweens and teenagers. Some of these blocks include Super Saturdays, ''a Saturday morning timeslot for original and acquired animated series, and ''Hot n' Fresh Weeknights, ''a primetime premiere block of network originals. Special events * '''Happy 10th Bonzai! '(May 2010 only) - To commemorate the channel's 10th anniversary on May 27, 2010, Bonzai Network held a month-long event to commemorate, with birthday-themed programming, special presentations, back to back films on weekends, and the month-long event series Birthday Pals. The channel also brought back the 2000 logo and branding, this time more modernized. The Old School Weekend was also used during Memorial Day weekend to air series and specials formerly aired on the channel: these shows included Alcove Mysteries, Asteroid Garden, Bunched Up! My Quintuplet Life, Doughnuts, and Me and Joe. * Toontastic Thanksgiving - During Thanksgiving break, Bonzai Network airs a marathon of 5 of its original animated series. Votes are held a week before the event for the shows the will air. * Patriotic Pride - a Fourth of July weekend featuring premieres of new episodes and specials. * Love Is In The Air - a week-long event commemorating Valentine's Day, featuring premieres specials and movies, as well as brand new episodes of currently-airing programming. Related services Bonzai@fterDark Main article: Bonzai@fterDark Bonzai After Dark (stylized as Bonzai@fterDark) is Bonzai Network’s nighttime programming service. It debuted on April 3, 2006 as Bonzai Primetime, and runs daily from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. EST, with international versions in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Asia; Bonzai@fterDark is treated as a separate entity for ratings purposes by Nielsen in the United States (similar to the company's ratings treatment of Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, the now-defunct Nickmom, Cartoon Network, and Adult Swim) due to differing target demographics between it and Bonzai Network. Originally consisting of off-network syndicated series and sitcoms from various countries, programming eventually changed to adult animation, black comedy, and select Japanese animation (until 2012) in September 2011, following a new imaging campaign. Current sister channels Bonzai Network Too Main article: Bonzai Network Too Bonzai Network Too '''(more commonly known as '''Bonzai Too)' '''is a digital cable and satellite television channel originally launched as a programming block on Bonzai Network under the title '''Bonzai+' in 2000 and as a television channel a year later. Bonzai Network Too specializes in a blend of contemporary animated programming from other producers, as well as series no longer in high demand. On August 28, 2014, following reports earlier in the year that BritCan Communications would realign all of the channels under the Bonzai brand, the channel was relaunched as Bonzai Network Too on October 13, 2014, featuring a brand new improvisational schedule of programming. Bonzai Jr. Main article: Bonzai Jr. Bonzai Jr. '''is a 24-hour spin-off of Bonzai Network featuring contemporary programs aimed primarily at preschoolers. It had launched on September 12, 2005 as '''BonBon, a joint venture between BritCan Communications and Sesame Workshop, which later sold its stake to BritCan in 2010, as it began growing its own original slate. On the channel's ninth anniversary (September 12, 2014), it rebranded as Bonzai Jr., due to the "Kids and Family" division re-branding under the Bonzai moniker. Bonzai XTRM Main article: Bonzai XTRM Bonzai XTRM '''is a digital cable and satellite television network operated as an action-genre spin-off of Bonzai Network geared towards a male audience. The channel had originally launched October 10, 2004 as '''BNX (an acronym for Bonzai Network Extreme), which was divided into blocks that target target a dual audience, ranging from pre-teens to young adults. On May 5, 2014, as a result of the "Kids and Family" division re-branding under the Bonzai moniker, BNX was revamped as Bonzai XTRM. Other serivices Bonzai Network HD On April 18, 2012, Bonzai Network launched Bonzai Network HD, a 1080i high definition simulcast of Bonzai Network's east-coast feed. The network does not operate a separate HD feed for the west coast. Most of the channel's original programs are produced and broadcast in HD, along with feature films. Bonzai Network on Demand Bonzai Network on Demand is a video-on-demand channel featuring series from Bonzai Network. Bonzai Network GO Bonzai Network GO is a TV Everywhere service available on the App Store and Google Play Store. It is available for all subscribed customers of parent service BritCan To Go, and offers episodes of network programming, as well as a livestream service available. Bonzai Network GO also lends its name to a separate SD feed of the mainstream television network available in TV-supported vehicles and airplanes, airing popular series from the channel. The only exclusive branding is #ExpectTheFun ''2.0 package, with extended next bumpers featuring the rating of the show. International availability Since the inception of Bonzai Network and its respective sister networks, BritCan Communications has set up various international feeds of all networks, such as Australia and New Zealand, France, Japan, Latin America, Nordic, Philippines, Southeast Asia, and United Kingdom and Ireland. Canada The Canadian version of Bonzai Network launched on October 1, 2013, owned by Corus Entertainment. The network, while carrying most programming from the U.S. version, along with a version of Bonzai@fterDark, features various series not seen on any international versions of the channel, along with more acquired series from Teletoon. UK & Ireland Bonzai Network UK launched in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Malta on June 5, 2000. Due to channel regulations, this version of the channel runs 24-hours a day, allowing more timeslots for older series during primetime. Presentation '''Current presenters/hosts' ''Bonzai Network HQ '' * Daniel Foster "Danny" Stevens * Raphael "Ralph" Mackey * Nicholas "Nicky" Barth * Brett Porter (substitute host) * Stephen "Steve" Bennett (substitute host) ''Super Saturdays '' * Mandy Beavis * Evan Stagger References 1. "Cable Network Coverage Area Household Universe Estimates: January 2016". Broadcasting & Cable. January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017. 2. "New American-Canadian Television Channel to Hit Screens Soon". Kidscreen. April 7, 1999. Retrieved August 25, 2001. 3. "BritCan Teams Up with Shaw Communications to Launch Kids and Family Venture." (Press release). BritCan Communications. April 6, 1999. Retrieved September 10, 2001 - via PR Newswire 4. "Canadian and American media companies Join Together to form new Family-based channel." The New York Times. June 22, 1999. Retrieved October 1, 2001 - via Variety 5. "Bonzai—What the New Channel Has to Offer for Families". Variety. June 29, 1999. Retrieved April 1, 2002. 6. "Bonzai TV, The New Hotspot for Family Audiences". TV Week. June 5, 2000. Retrieved May 25, 2003.Category:Bonzai NetworkCategory:TV ChannelsCategory:BritCan Communications